Science Teachers’ Academic Optimism and Stages of Concern on the Content Enrichment Program of DOST-SEI Project STAR

Abstract

This study aimed to explore Science teachers’ academic optimism, their stages of concern regarding the DOST-SEI Project STAR content enrichment program, and the relationship between these variables. The research utilized a descriptive design involving 353 public school Science teachers in the Philippines who attended the Project STAR Science Content Enrichment Webinar Series. Data were collected via a three-part survey distributed through Google Forms and analyzed using frequency and percentage distribution, weighted mean, and Pearson r correlation. Findings revealed that Science teachers exhibited high academic optimism across three dimensions: self-efficacy, trust in students and parents, and academic emphasis. Attendance in the content enrichment program significantly predicted teachers’ academic optimism as a collective construct. Nearly all measures of academic optimism were high, with one very high indicator showing that teachers are adept at fostering student learning values. They are committed to bridging the gap between essential knowledge and its relevance to students’ lives. Regarding the stages of concern, teachers showed high levels of implementing what they learned from the DOST-SEI Project STAR Content Enrichment Program, indicating practical application. This suggests that teachers are beginning to collaborate, coordinate implementation, and evaluate achievements collectively, learning from each other. Moreover, results indicated a significant positive correlation at the 0.01 level between teachers’ academic optimism (self-efficacy, trust in students and parents, academic emphasis) and their stages of concern (self, task, impact). This underscores the interconnectedness between teachers’ confidence, their collaborative efforts, and their focus on improving educational outcomes.